The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should approve a petition for former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), also known as A-bian (阿扁), to be pardoned at its national congress on Sunday, DPP Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) said yesterday.
The Local Council Alliance for A-bian’s Amnesty launched the petition, which is to be proposed at the congress to pressure President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to pardon the former president.
Chen served more than six years of a 20-year sentence for corruption before being released on medical parole in 2015, but still faces other criminal charges.
In a radio interview, Hsu said the petition should be approved, as 509 of about 570 active DPP representatives who are to be at the congress have signed it.
DPP chairpersons, who chair the party’s national congresses, have traditionally referred such controversial proposals to the DPP Central Executive Committee for deliberation, effectively shelving them, he said.
Proposals made at congresses are often endorsed by dozens of people, making them more of a personal suggestion than a formal case to be voted on, but the petition for Chen’s pardon has received the support of an overwhelming majority of party representatives, so its approval is highly anticipated, he added.
“It is up to the chairperson to determine whether a petition should be directly approved or voted on,” Hsu said. “About 86 percent of the representatives have signed it, and many are very determined on the issue.”
The petition was filed by the Kaohsiung City Council, because the city’s residents feel close to Chen, who lives in Kaohsiung, said Hsu, who represents a constituency in the municipality.
Petitioners do not intend to force Tsai, because it is her power as president, not as DPP chairperson, to grant amnesty, Hsu said, adding that the petition is a method of expression within the party to further pressure the government on the issue.
The Amnesty Act (赦免法) should be amended following the expected approval of the petition, he said.
DPP Legislator Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) has proposed amending the act to allow the president to pardon people for crimes even before a conviction, as Chen still has trials pending in court.
DPP spokesman Chang Chih-hao (張志豪) in the same radio interview said that pardons can only be issued by the president, who has the final say on the issue.
“Chen has the sympathy of DPP members, and the party has been facing issues revolving around Chen’s corruption charges and pardon since its last time in power,” Chang said.
The DPP’s position on the pardon is clear, as it would respect the decision made at the congress, he added.
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